Solar In The Mix In Obama’s New Energy Policy

Posted on March 30, 2011 by quest

We meet here at a tumultuous time for the world. In a matter of months, we’ve seen regimes toppled and democracy take root across North Africa and the Middle East. We’ve witnessed a terrible earthquake, catastrophic tsunami and nuclear emergency batter a strong ally and the world’s third largest economy. And we’ve led an international effort in Libya to prevent a massacre and maintain stability throughout the broader region.

As Americans, we are heartbroken by the lives that have been lost as a result of these events. We are moved by the thirst for freedom in many nations, as well as the strength and perseverance of the Japanese people. And of course, it’s natural to feel anxious about what all this means for us.
One area of particular concern has been the cost and security of our energy. In an economy that relies on oil, rising prices at the pump affect everybody – workers and farmers; truck drivers and restaurant owners. Businesses see it hurt their bottom line. Families feel the pinch when they fill up their tank. For Americans already struggling to get by, it makes life that much harder.

But here’s the thing – we’ve been down this road before. Remember, it was just three years ago that gas prices topped $4 a gallon. Working folks haven’t forgotten that. It hit a lot of people pretty hard. But it was also the height of political season, so you had a lot of slogans and gimmicks and outraged politicians waving three-point-plans for two-dollar gas – when none of it would really do anything to solve the problem. Imagine that in Washington. The truth is, of course, was that all these gimmicks didn’t make a bit of difference. When gas prices finally fell, it was mostly because the global recession led to less demand for oil. Now that the economy is recovering, demand is back up. Add the turmoil in the Middle East, and it’s not surprising oil prices are higher. And every time the price of a barrel of oil on the world market rises by $10, a gallon of gas goes up by about 25 cents. The point is, the ups and downs in gas prices are usually temporary. When you look at the long-term trends, though, there will be more ups than downs. That’s because countries like India and China are growing at a rapid clip. And as two billion more people start consuming more goods, and driving more cars, and using more energy, it’s certain that demand will go up a lot faster than supply.

GAIN INSIGHT

California Sets Solar and Renewable Energy Goals

Posted on March 29, 2011 by quest

Today’s passage of SBX1-2 by the California State Assembly is “a major boost” for jobs, clean energy and the state’s economy, says the Independent Energy Producers (IEP) “We appreciate the support of the renewable energy developers, environmentalists, labor and health organizations who worked tirelessly for this victory.” SBX1-2 by Senator Joe Simitian (D–Palo Alto) requires that 33 percent of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2020. Previously, the goal was 20 percent by 2010.

“This landmark legislation will help put Californians back to work and provide the clean electricity needed to power our economy into the future,” said Jan Smutny-Jones, Executive Director of IEP California. “The jobs and investment created by SBX1-2 are a major boost for our economy — and a signal to the nation that California is still the innovative leader when it comes to clean, green energy.”While increasing the amount of energy from renewable sources, SBX1-2 also protects system reliability, fosters resource diversity, and produces the greatest environmental benefits for California residents. Over 45 energy, labor, environmental and health organizations joined IEP in supporting SBX1-2, including the California Wind Energy Association, AFSCME, Sierra Club California and the American Lung Association of California.“SBX1-2 will generate billions of dollars in investment, create thousands of jobs and foster local economic development,” said Smutny-Jones. “We appreciate the support of the renewable energy developers, environmentalists, labor and health organizations who worked tirelessly for this victory.”

IEP is California’s largest association of electricity generators, representing over 26,000 MWs of power or about one-half of California’s peak needs — about eighty percent of the renewable energy being delivered in California.

GREEN WEBINARS

Solar Electric Vehicle Charging A First in New York

Posted on March 22, 2011 by quest

BROOKLYN, NY – Brooklyn Bridge Park and Beautiful Earth Group (BE), a Brooklyn-based renewable energy company, announced today the arrival of a state-of-the-art solar-powered electric vehicle charging station to Brooklyn Bridge Park – a world-class 85-acre sustainable waterfront park with iconic views of the New York Harbor and Manhattan skyline.   Designed and built by BE, the station is the first solar-powered charging station in New York City and one of only a few in the world. Brooklyn Bridge Park will use the donated station to charge its electric service vehicles (EVs) using only the power of the sun. This project greatly enhances the Park’s already impressive sustainability efforts, which include the reuse of materials from demolished buildings, use of native plant species, reintroduction of marine habitats and management of rainwater and runoff.
Using solar power to operate its EVs will yield significant cost savings for Brooklyn Bridge Park – more than $200,000 in gasoline costs, and tens of thousands of dollars in electricity costs, over the 25-year lifetime of the project. More than 530 tons of CO2 would have been emitted during this period had the Park chosen to use traditional service vehicles.

“On behalf of Brooklyn Bridge Park, I thank Beautiful Earth for the gift of this pioneering solar-powered charging station for the park’s fleet of electric vehicles,” said President of Brooklyn Bridge Park Regina Myer. “Brooklyn Bridge Park is New York’s premiere sustainably-built and operated public park and the charging station furthers our mission to honor the environment and conserve resources. We are thrilled to partner with one of Brooklyn’s most innovative technology companies and to help demonstrate the future of renewable energy.”

UNDERSTANDING RECYCLING

Tibet Goes Solar With Suntech

Posted on March 21, 2011 by quest

San Francisco based Suntech, the world’s largest producer of solar panels, announced it will develop a 10MW solar installation on the roof of the world that will generate decades of clean electricity for thousands of residents of the Tibetan Plateau. Located in Chek Kang village in the Sangri County, Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, the solar power plant will be one of the highest on earth at around 4,000 meters above sea level. With target completion by the middle of the 2011, the facility will generate around 20,000MWh of renewable electricity per year to help facilitate sustainable economic development in Tibet.

Historically, the mountainous region has relied heavily on hydroelectric resources for much of its baseload power production. However, shifting weather patterns in recent years have caused more frequent droughts and reduced water volumes in hydroelectric reservoirs. These changes have led to peak power shortages that are an impediment to the region’s continued economic growth. The new 10MW solar power plant will help to alleviate peak power shortages and serve as a strong complement to existing hydroelectric resources.

“With intense sunlight and cool temperatures, Tibet is extremely well-suited for the utilization of advanced photovoltaic technology,” said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech’s Founder, Chairman and CEO. “We’re proud to invest in preserving the region’s fragile ecosystem by providing an economically-viable and sustainable solution for electricity generation. From the desert sands of Arizona to the peaks of the Himalayas, anyone can look up and harness nature’s cleanest and most abundant energy resource.”

Suntech has been active in rural electrification projects in Tibet. Over the last few years, Suntech has donated more than fifty independent solar systems for schools, community centers, and houses throughout the region. In 2008, Suntech installed a solar system at Mt. Everest base camp to provide trekkers with clean and reliable access to power. In gratitude, a team of mountaineers carried a Suntech flag to the very peak of the world.

GO ORGANIC

Stanford Makes Nanotechnolgy Solar Breakthrough

Posted on March 14, 2011 by quest

The sun provides more than enough energy for all our needs, if only we could harness it cheaply and efficiently. Solar energy could provide a clean alternative to fossil fuels, but the high cost of solar cells has been a major barrier to their widespread use. Stanford researchers have found that adding a single layer of organic molecules to a solar cell can increase its efficiency threefold and could lead to cheaper, more efficient solar panels. Their results were published online in ACS Nano.

Chemical engineering Professor Stacey Bent first became interested in a new kind of solar technology two years ago. These solar cells used tiny particles of semiconductors called “quantum dots.” Quantum dot solar cells are cheaper to produce than traditional ones, as they can be made using simple chemical reactions. But despite their promise, they lagged well behind existing solar cells in efficiency.”I wondered if we could use our knowledge of chemistry to improve their efficiency,” Bent said. If she could do that, the reduced cost of these solar cells could lead to mass adoption of the technology. In principle, quantum dot cells can reach much higher efficiency, Bent said, because of a fundamental limitation of traditional solar cells.

Solar cells work by using energy from the sun to excite electrons. The excited electrons jump from a lower energy level to a higher one, leaving behind a “hole” where the electron used to be. Solar cells use a semiconductor to pull an electron in one direction, and another material to pull the hole in the other direction. This flow of electron and hole in different directions leads to an electric current. But it takes a certain minimum energy to fully separate the electron and the hole. The amount of energy required is specific to different materials and affects what color, or wavelength, of light the material best absorbs. Silicon is commonly used to make solar cells because the energy required to excite its electrons corresponds closely to the wavelength of visible light. Read more

PICTURE ECO FASHION

Solar Power Leader SunPower Connects With Toshiba

Posted on March 11, 2011 by quest

SunPower Corporation just announced that, under a strategic supply agreement, Toshiba Corporation will order 48 megawatts of high-efficiency solar panels from SunPower during the 2011 Japanese fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. Toshiba will use the panels to support the company’s residential solar offering in Japan, which was launched last year with a supply agreement for 32 megawatts of SunPower panels.

“Japan is the leader in Asia in the residential solar market, which is an excellent fit for SunPower’s world-leading, high efficiency solar panels,” said SunPower CEO Tom Werner. “We are pleased to extend our partnership with Toshiba, a global business leader, to make high-efficiency SunPower panels available to more homeowners in Japan who value our reliability and guaranteed performance.”

“Since we launched our residential solar business in Japan early last year, we have recorded solid achievements by implementing comprehensive sales and marketing activities, including expansion of sales channels,” said Takeshi Yokota, general manager of Photovoltaic Systems Division, Toshiba Corporation. “We look forward to building on this success and increasing market share in Japan by further reinforcing our partnership with SunPower.”